state in establishing agricultural colleges, where attention 

 will be given to the various sciences, bearing upon practi- 

 cal agriculture and benefit the rising generation, and show- 

 ing that a greater application of mind to the labors of the 

 hand is to distinguish the future over past generations, 

 which will open the wa^^ to higher triumphs for American 

 agriculture. 



lu bestowing the bounty of the state upon the agricul- 

 tural societies, the condition was made, " that such encour- 

 agement should be annually offered as seemed best adapted 

 to increase and perpetuate an adequate supply of ship 

 timber within the Commonwealth." This sounds strange 

 now with steel and iron superceding timber for vessels. 

 Mr. Proctor in his address before the Essex Agricultural 

 Society in 1844 refers to this, and remarks that the letter 

 of the condition has been complied with, but what has 

 been the result? He asks, where is the tree now (1844) 

 growing that started into being in consequence of this 

 bounty? While not needed in the defence of our shore, 

 think if his suggestion had been carried out in some bar- 

 ren pasture, what a splendid growth of timber would exist 

 now after more than fifty years ? What elms might be 

 giving grateful shade on a hot summer's day along our 

 dusty roads, and village streets ? I know of no better ex- 

 ample in order to illustrate to what grandeur these trees 

 may aspire, or how effective their appearance on a main 

 thoroughfare, than to point to Stockbridge or Deerfield or 

 Hadley. In what manner could Essex farmers better con- 

 sult the interest of their children, than by planting trees 

 in grounds so rough and rocky as to be unfit for tillage. I 

 recall to your attention the planting of Indian Hill in New- 

 bury by Benjamin Perley Poor and the il,000 prize which 

 he won for a ten years' growth. 



I have seen in England and this last year in Scotland, 

 hundreds of acres of forest now growing, that were planted 

 by the hand of man. The cultivation of trees generally, 



